A variety of wildlife species could utilize suitable habitat within the affected area on a seasonal or yearlong basis. Many mammal species and several reptile and amphibian species can typically be found in sagebrush habitats, grasslands, and riparian areas within the affected area. Wildlife such as mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and other ungulates in the area may utilize small unburned islands, edges of the burn perimeter, and areas adjacent to water sources in search of forage, but most ungulates were displaced by the loss of vegetation in the burned area. Ungulates and many other generalist and grassland adapted wildlife species would be expected to return the following spring as grasses and other herbaceous plants quickly recover providing suitable habitat. Many wildlife species, including mule deer and pronghorn, would be expected to gain some temporary benefit from the fire due to increased forage from higher proportions of grass and forb cover in burned areas. Sagebrush and bitterbrush require decades to recover, providing adequate structure, and diversity, thermal and hiding cover for wildlife species in the area. A significant portion of old growth bitterbrush was consumed by the fire. In order to restore wildlife habitat sagebrush plantings are proposed on 1,500 acres and antelope bitterbrush plantings are proposed on 300 acres. Areas planted with bitterbrush seedlings would be protected until established from wildlife and livestock with a temporary eight foot protective fence.
Treatments
S4/R4 Seedling Planting; ES Issue 3 - Habitat for Threatened and Endangered Species BAR Issue 1 - Lands Unlikely to Recover
Approximately 80,000 sagebrush seedlings will be planted on 1,500 acres within the burned area over the next three years. The planted seedlings will be a combination of containerized and bare-root stock of the appropriate species. Planting will occur in both fall and spring. Planting areas and preferred species for each site will be identified by local field office biologists and ecologists. Field office personnel will also assist with adjustments to the planting strategy based on monitoring of the burned area. The objective of sagebrush seedling plantings will be to immediately increase the suitability of habitat surrounding occupied leks and late brood rearing areas damaged by the fire. Initially targeted planting areas will focus on
suitable areas within three miles of leks and utilized seeps, springs, and streams. Planted seedlings will provide and enhance nearby cover and foraging habitat for sage-grouse during the breeding and late brood rearing season.
Approximately 14,000 seedlings of bitterbrush will be planted on 300 acres over the next three years. The planted seedlings will be bare-root stock and planting will occur in both the fall and spring. Identification
of targeted planting areas and adjustments to planting strategy based on field observations will be coordinated with local field office biologists and ecologists. The potential exists for fire scorched bitterbrush to re-sprout on its own or propagate from seed that may have occurred before the fire.
Based on funding and surplus stock available for purchase, numbers proposed for planting could change for each of the fall and spring planting seasons.
Table 21: Seedling Planting Commitment
Species FY16 FY17 FY18
Sagebrush Local seed collection and grow out
Local seed collection, grow,
and plant 40,000 plugs Plant 40,000 plugs Bitterbrush Local seed collection and grow out
Local seed collection, grow,
and plant 7,000 plugs Plant 7,000 plugs
R7 Fence; ES Issue 3 - Habitat for Threatened and Endangered Species BAR Issue 1 – Lands Unlikely to Recover
Ten miles of eight foot tall wildlife exclosure fence will be built around planted bitterbrush seedlings. High rates of wildlife herbivory on planted seedlings have occurred as a result of not providing seedling
protection or Vexar tubing, resulting in seedling planting failure.
Vegetation
The rangeland landscape of the southeastern Oregon cool steppe environment is a product of geological and ecological processes, as well as human impacts. Immediately prior to settlement in the late 19th century, two major vegetation types dominated the lower elevation desert up-land communities. One type was typified by big
sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass in which dominance of sagebrush varied according to the incidence of fire and other factors. The presence of other species varied with elevation, soil, and rainfall. Sandberg bluegrass and
bottlebrush squirreltail are found in drier areas, and low sagebrush occurred on shallow soil. Idaho fescue and bitterbrush reached co-dominance with bluebunch wheatgrass and big sagebrush at upper elevations and provided the understory in juniper woodlands. Other minor species included Thurber's needlegrass, prairie junegrass, needle and thread grass, and several shrubs.
The second major lower elevation steppe vegetation type, is composed primarily of shrubs, grows on alkaline soil and is dominated by shadscale and other shrubs, including spiny hopsage, winterfat, bud sagebrush, and
greasewood. Bluebunch wheatgrass occurred in the understory, while larger amounts of bottlebrush squirreltail and Indian ricegrass dominated on sandy soils.
The burn area is dominated by sagebrush/native bunchgrass communities. Big sagebrush/bunchgrass communities are the most widespread type within the burned area, with basin big sagebrush growing on deep alluvial soils, and Wyoming big sagebrush growing on well-drained soils at middle to lower elevations. Low sagebrush/bunchgrass communities dominate on shallow soils that are stony or clayey. Perennial grassland communities do not form a major climax vegetation type though they do dominate for a period following fire when the shrub component is eliminated. Historically, sagebrush/native bunchgrass communities were maintained with periodic wildfire as often as every 50–100 years in sites that support Wyoming big sagebrush, to even less frequent in low sagebrush
communities with limited fine fuels. As a result of the elimination of fine fuels capable of supporting fire spread, many sites currently support a community with a much greater woody species composition than was present prior to European settlement.
A number of vegetation communities are the products of past heavy grazing use, fire, or rehabilitation efforts. Shrub/annual grassland communities are the product of past disturbance where cheatgrass, medusahead wildrye and other annuals have either replaced or co-exist with the perennial bunchgrass component of a sagebrush/bunchgrass community. Increased fire frequency, supported by heavy loading of fine fuels, has resulted in areas dominated by annual grasslands with little or no shrub component. Where present in the pre-burn vegetation community, rabbitbrush has replaced other shrub species in the overstory of sagebrush/bunchgrass communities for a period following fire. Seedings of crested wheatgrass and other introduced perennial species, with varying amounts of sagebrush and other shrub overstory, have been completed to rehabilitate and stabilize some low-seral
sagebrush/bunchgrass communities.
Table 22: Soda Fire Vegetation Communities (Oregon only)
Vegetation Type Associated Species Approximate Acres Percent of Fire
Big sagebrush/perennial grassland
Wyoming big sagebrush, basin big sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Thurbers needlegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, basin wildrye, bottlebrush squirreltail, arrowleaf balsamroot, phlox
30,000 57%
Low sagebrush/grassland Low sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber needlegrass, Idaho fescue,
cheatgrass, biscuitroot, Sandberg bluegrass
5,000 10%
Big sagebrush/annual grassland
Big sagebrush, cheatgrass, tumble mustard, clasping pepperweed, foxtail barley, Sandberg bluegrass
5,000 10%
Annual grassland Cheatgrass, foxtail barley, sixweeks fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, tumble mustard, clasping pepperweed
9,000 17%
Salt desert shrub/grassland Shadscale, saltbush, bud sagebrush, fourwing saltbush, spiny hopsage, horsebrush, winterfat, bottlebrush squirreltail, saltgrass, basin wildrye
500 1%
Crested wheatgrass Crested wheatgrass 2,800 5%
The portion of the Soda fire that burned through Oregon generally burned at a low intensity. This was confirmed by the BARC photography and on-site visits where many islands of unburned vegetation were observed as well as partially burned sagebrush. Examination of the perennial grass showed little damage to the crowns and high likelihood of survival. Observations also showed that both medusahead wildrye and cheatgrass where common in the area, especially in the southern area that burned west of Highway 95, along roads and other high livestock use areas such as near reservoirs. The elevation of the burned area ranges from over 5,000 feet on Pole Top table to less than 2,600 feet in the extreme northern reaches of the burn. Nearly 75 percent of the area lies above 4,000 feet and should recover quickly especially if the medusahead wildrye is treated. One area, which is estimated at 365 acres in size, has been identified as a possible location to drill with native grasses if the perennial bunchgrasses do not recover as anticipated. The area would be monitored in spring/summer 2016 to assess condition of the
bunchgrasses. Areas between 2,600 and 4,000 feet in elevation are much less resilient and will require greater intervention to rehabilitate. Drill seeding with a drought tolerant native/non-native mix has been identified on approximately 3,850 acres. These seedings would occur in fall 2016, one year after it has been treated with imazapic. The road leading to one of the drill units is in poor enough condition that drill equipment cannot be mobilized to the site, five miles of road needs heavy maintenance to safely mobilize the equipment. The likelihood
of rehabilitating these areas would improve if the most drought resistant, non-native, perennial species are drill seeded.
Treatments
S2 Ground Seeding; ES Issue 3 - Habitat for Threatened and Endangered Species
Approximately 4,215 acres will be drill seeded using standard rangeland drills, without depth bands, in the fall 2016 following a 2015 fall imazapic treatment.